Hopefully simple broadband/digital voice question

PandaJuggler

When I check MSE for new Broadband deals, is "Broadband only (no line)" a reference to there being no old style landline? Meaning I can/will still get a Digital Voice landline?

I've slept through the imminent demise of traditional landlines and am now trying to catch up. Also wasn't sure whether this question belongs in Broadband or Landlines, but here it is.

flaneurs_lobster

Not quite, it means that the broadband supplier does not offer a voice service (what used to be offered over a landline) as part of their package.

With any broadband service you can make use of a Voice over Internet Protocol (aka VoIP aka Digital Voice) service but it won't be via the "no line" provider and will cost extra.

QrizB

As an example (not a recommendation, although they are quite a big name in the VoIP world) Vonage have call-inclusive deals starting from £6.99 per month:

https://www.vonageforhome.co.uk/plans/

Or you can get a PAYG service from someone like A&A:

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/

iniltous

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82060577#Comment_82060577

Or if you require a phone service with your broadband pick a single supplier that can provide both , most that do provide it via their broadband router (it having an in built phone socket ) standalone VoIP providers generally mean you need to supply extra equipment yourself that connects to the router and your corded phone .

PandaJuggler

Thanks for your responses, you've given me a better grasp on what's what 👍️

Rob5342

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82060577#Comment_82060577

And of course a mobile phone is cheaper, and with WiFi calling you don't have to worry about signal coverage.

Boohoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82060518#Comment_82060518

Can you clarify something for me/us please?

If you have just fibre broadband not copper or fttc and a phone needs to be connected to the router and you don't have a landline number or it's part of the contract can you use Vonage, a&a or others and plug in a compatible landline phone and away you go?

iniltous

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82060888#Comment_82060888

Not every broadband router has a phone socket , and even those that do it isn’t necessarily a universal one that any VoIP provider can use , so if using a third party VoIP supplier like those quoted , you should work on the principle that you need an ATA ( analogue telephone adapter) that plugs into a router Ethernet port and your phone cord plugs into the ATA , or a phone that has an ATA built in that has an Ethernet cable rather than a regular phone cord …it doesn’t matter if it’s copper , FTTC or FTTP .

If you had (for example) Vodafone, only wanted VF broadband not their telephone service (a VoIP service that uses the telephone port on the Vodafone router) but wanted to use a third party VoIP , the router telephone port is inactive because VF are not supplying the phone service , so you need your own ATA , or change the router to one that has a universal telephone port but that may make your broadband provider unwilling to hep in the future on any broadband issues (as you are not using the router they supplied)

Nothing wrong with third party VoIP but it’s not much cheaper and isn’t as ‘simple’ as using the voice service from the ISP , and as it’s often the older generation that want to keep ‘landline style’ telephony sometimes keeping it simple is the the best option even if third party VoIP may save a small amount per month.

Ectophile

It seems that each provider is different. My Vodafone router came with a phone socket on the back. They ported my number and enabled it as part of switching from Now. No charge for this unless you want a calls package.

Meanwhile other providers offer no phone and you have to pay a VoIP provider if you want a line. And the price tends to be more than a decent SIM only mobile phone package.

iniltous

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82061259#Comment_82061259

Number portability is completely separate point , porting a number from Now to Vodafone and Vodafone delivering it via their phone socket on their router is exactly what you should expect, because VF supply both broadband and telephone and you are getting both services from them , the point being made is if you ported your number to a third party VoIP provider then you couldn’t use the Vodafone phone port if VF were just your broadband provider, even though the VF router has a phone socket , it’s no use to third parties, and as the OP is considering a third party VoIP provider then even if the broadband provider router supplied by the broadband provider has a phone port it’s of no use.